It has been stated, “Orcutt’s greatest contribution, more important than new oil fields, was the inspiration, guidance and encouragement he gave to youthful geologists who later became the top flight oil hunters of the West.” He discovered oil fields all over the world, and the town of Orcutt, near Santa Maria, is named after him. He eventually became vice president of several different divisions of Union Oil and a member of the Board of Directors of this company.Orcutt’s insatiable curiosity led him to probe into the Brea tar pits, and he was the first to alert the world in 1902 to the mysterious bones protruding from tar in the City of Los Angeles, later to become known as the La Brea Tar Pits. Another discovery of his was the site of the remains of La Purisima Mission, found on land purchased by Union in the Lompoc area. Through his efforts this land was deeded to Santa Barbara County, and Union Oil later gave financial assistance to restore this mission.During his illustrious career Will was among the directors of the Historical Society of Southern California, the Pacific Geographic Society, the Southern California Academy of Sciences, the Seismological Society of America, and a member of the Los Angeles Athletic Club and the University Club.Will died April 27, 1942, and his widow survived him by 40 years.
William Warren Orcutt, Class of 1891
March 10, 2000
Santa Paula High School
|
By Beverly J. Harding, President, SPUHS Alumni Association
“Will” Orcutt and his sister, Mary “Mamie,” Class of 1898, were the children of John Hall and Adeline Warren Orcutt.Following his graduation as the last class of “The Academy” Will went to Stanford, where he studied civil engineering and played football. One of Will’s friends at Stanford was Herbert Hoover (later to become President of the USA). This friendship developed into a life-long relationship.Will came back to Santa Paula after graduation from Stanford, and established an engineering hydraulic and surveyors’ firm with A. C. Hardison. This firm had offices located on the second story of what is now the California Oil Museum.Will’s high school girlfriend, Mollie Logan, also in the Class of 1891, by this time had graduated from Pomona College with a degree in the classics and teaching. On June 8, 1897 the two were married and started their busy and colorful life together. They had two children, Gertrude and John.In 1898 Union Oil Company employed Will, then a young civil engineer inexperienced in the oil business. Will’s first job was as district land manager to look after the company’s interests in Fresno and San Benito counties. Lyman Stewart of Union, who seemed to “have a good nose for oil,” instructed Will to organize the first full fledged petroleum geology department, and in time he became the West’s first outstanding oil geologist and authority who strove to make petroleum geology a science instead of a guessing game.
